Any frugal ladies who love fashion and clothes shopping?

**Christa** · 01-30-2008, 05:41 PM

Or is that too frivolous for this board? =D I'm a bargain hunter and thrift store queen, and I'm not super-trendy, but I do so love buying new clothes.

I buy most of my clothes used and I love the clearance rack, but I have a lot of turnover in my closet.

Anyone relate?

**halloweenfreak** · 01-30-2008, 05:57 PM

shopping is my frugal downfall. i love clothes, shoes and jewelry. 99% of it is bought online tho, cuz i hate shopping in stores. i always look for online coupons tho, so the bill isn't toooo terribly bad (thats what i tell myself anyway)

**nuisance26** · 01-30-2008, 06:03 PM

~I have a high turnover rate too. Luckily I buy at yard sales and thrift stores or I'd be spending $3K a year on my clothes instead of $300! I also have a sewing machine so I can satisfy my 'new and hip' cravings by altering something I already have for pennies. Although, I don't think anyone here would look down on me if I did spend $3K because I was frugal in other areas to splurge in this one.~

**Christa** · 01-30-2008, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~I have a high turnover rate too. Luckily I buy at yard sales and thrift stores or I'd be spending $3K a year on my clothes instead of $300! I also have a sewing machine so I can satisfy my 'new and hip' cravings by altering something I already have for pennies. Although, I don't think anyone here would look down on me if I did spend $3K because I was frugal in other areas to splurge in this one.~

That all sounds familiar. :-) I don't really like to sew, but I do it to alter things or mend items I got for a little of nothing because of a missing button or popped seam. I laugh every time I take a load of stuff to Salvation Army, because so much of it came from there in the first place.

I can't even add up how much I'd be spending if I bought all this stuff new.

**Christa** · 01-30-2008, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by halloweenfreak

shopping is my frugal downfall. i love clothes, shoes and jewelry. 99% of it is bought online tho, cuz i hate shopping in stores. i always look for online coupons tho, so the bill isn't toooo terribly bad (thats what i tell myself anyway)

Oh yeah, jewelry too.

And we won't even talk about my nail polish collection right now.

**Christa** · 01-30-2008, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~I have a high turnover rate too. Luckily I buy at yard sales and thrift stores or I'd be spending $3K a year on my clothes instead of $300! I also have a sewing machine so I can satisfy my 'new and hip' cravings by altering something I already have for pennies. Although, I don't think anyone here would look down on me if I did spend $3K because I was frugal in other areas to splurge in this one.~

I just peeked at your blog--I'm *so* impressed by your concert T! I'm totally going to copy you. =D Are you going to post detailed instructions?

**mommy4ever** · 01-31-2008, 09:50 AM

I love clothes. But I rarely buy because I've a really hard time getting something that is close enough fit to alter to fit right. *sigh* joy of joys.

I spent 2 hours looking for pants yesterday at the thrift store and didn't find anything that fit at all. It is very frustrating.

One day I'm going to walk into a boutique and just do it..lol.I think I bought 3 t-shirts in 2007. That's it..lol. Oh, 1 pair of jeans(my only ones that fit me).

**halloweenfreak** · 01-31-2008, 10:03 AM

ugh, i hate shopping for jeans. since i had cooper, i think my butt and legs are out of wack and nothing fits right, everything seems to twist.

**kimmer182** · 01-31-2008, 10:08 AM

I always check out the clearance racks. I don’t do well in stores like Salvation Army and Goodwill though. I get too overwhelmed of rack after rack sorted only by color and not by size. I don’t have a high turnover rate. I try not to buy anything too trendy, and take good care of what I do have.

**Snoopy** · 01-31-2008, 10:54 AM

My biggest pitfall is clothes for my children.
My daughter has 12 pairs of trousers/jeans and 12 skirts not to mention about 20 longsleeves and numerous other clothing items.

In my defence though: Everything is secondhand and most of it comes out of the shop that I run. And when everything gets too small I just put it back into the shop and get most of my money back.
I opened up a seperate bankaccount and I'm now able to buy and sell all clothes for my children outside of my household account. There's always money in that account and if there are items I can't find in my shop, because the moms don't hand it in, I can always go on Ebay and find it there.
And if all else fails I go and hunt in the sales.

**nuisance26** · 01-31-2008, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Christa

I just peeked at your blog--I'm *so* impressed by your concert T! I'm totally going to copy you. =D Are you going to post detailed instructions?

~Well it's really basic and kinda dull, lol. Years ago I read some books about making clothes 'patterns' from clothes that already fit you well. So I just took a tee that fit me and cut around it. You have to make allowances for stretch of fabric and seams. But I find the process is so much more fun and relaxing(even if I'm ripping out seams) if I'm in charge. I actually love when I make mistakes because, in fixing them, I create something that has a story. It almost becomes art to me. And, it's a great mental exercise, problem solving and all that. Hopefully I'll have more projects to post on there after I'm done redoing the living room. It's sapping all my creative energy this month!~

**ZenTherapy** · 01-31-2008, 11:15 AM

I love clothes.

Now I'm less obsessed with getting new stuff, that was a problem. I can't wear acrylic and such, so I buy merino/cashmere sweaters on ebay for cheap! I buy at sales, outlets, I buy jeans on yoox.com when they're heavily discounted, nice cheap tops on promod.eu. And I sell and swap a lot.

**Christa** · 01-31-2008, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by kimmer182

I always check out the clearance racks. I don’t do well in stores like Salvation Army and Goodwill though. I get too overwhelmed of rack after rack sorted only by color and not by size. I don’t have a high turnover rate. I try not to buy anything too trendy, and take good care of what I do have.

Things are sorted by size at both the GW and SA closest to me...I know they are all different, though.

**Christa** · 01-31-2008, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~Well it's really basic and kinda dull, lol. Years ago I read some books about making clothes 'patterns' from clothes that already fit you well. So I just took a tee that fit me and cut around it. You have to make allowances for stretch of fabric and seams. But I find the process is so much more fun and relaxing(even if I'm ripping out seams) if I'm in charge. I actually love when I make mistakes because, in fixing them, I create something that has a story. It almost becomes art to me. And, it's a great mental exercise, problem solving and all that. Hopefully I'll have more projects to post on there after I'm done redoing the living room. It's sapping all my creative energy this month!~

Cool, I'm definitely going to try it.